Located near the village of Tolochenaz sits Villa Rose, one of 12 fortresses in Switzerland that were built to defend the country from invasion during World War II. Most people, however, would never recognize it as a fortress, since it appears to be a simple pink suburban home from the outside. Instead of a family lounging inside, the false house held massive guns. The large green garage doors could open to reveal two huge cannons that were assisted by a third hidden behind the shutters of a ground floor window. The whole structure was made of thick cement walls that were painted pink, apparently in an effort to make the fort seem even more harmless. There are even false windows on the second floor that are simply painted onto the concrete. The Villa Rose is the best maintained example of these secret forts and is now open as a museum. If you plan to visit the museum, there’s an added bonus: Actress Audrey Hepburn’s grave is a mere 11 miles away in Cimetière de Tolochenaz.
